Have Leno's Political Jokes Cost Him His Job At NBC?

Media: No question, Jay Leno is hot. He's opened up a huge double-digit lead on his main talk-show competitors, and has never been funnier or more relevant. So why is NBC so eager to get rid of him?

The likeable, lantern-jawed comic has long been known for avoiding edgy political material. But in recent months, Leno has turned considerably more political, making pointed jokes aimed at Democrats, liberals and President Obama.

A monologue last month was typical: "President Obama says he's renewing his efforts to close Guantanamo Bay. Guantanamo Bay? How about closing the IRS? How about that?"

Thunderous applause. Leno's never been better.

Indeed, virtually every night now, he has something sharp and funny to say about Obama and the big-government Democrats in Washington. They're not used to being the butt of jokes that sting — or that ridicule the left's absurd PC culture wars.

But that's just what Leno did last April when he riffed on his show: "The Associated Press, the largest news gathering outlet in the world, will no longer use the term 'illegal immigrant.' That is out. ... They will now use the phrase 'undocumented Democrat.' "

A two-fer, liberals and the media. Ouch.

"The irony — and it's a rich one — is that Leno has never been more dominant," Newsweek said recently. "The Nielsen ratings for the second week in July have him beating CBS's David Letterman by a 43% margin in the all-important 'viewers 18 to 49' category ... and swamping ABC's Jimmy Kimmel by a crushing 75%."

Irony? Leno has 3.3 million viewers, vs. 2.6 million for Letterman and 2 million for Kimmel. Leno, as Newsweek further notes, has led all competition for 17 seasons out of the 21 he's hosted "The Tonight Show."

Ordinarily, such powerful ratings would be rewarded with a lengthy, multimillion dollar contract and a public attaboy from the network. So why are they axing Leno and replacing him with Jimmy Fallon next February?

Could it be Hollywood's left-leaning power players want to clip his wings? Or is it that, unlike Leno, Fallon fawns over the liberal elite — as he did during an embarrassing on-set visit from Obama, who lost more than a little presidential dignity by joining in on unfunny skits.

Replacing a winner with the so-far unproven Fallon doesn't seem to be a brilliant business move. They tried it four years ago with Conan O'Brien. It flopped.

If the solidly centrist Leno is now too controversial for the lefty executives that run the networks, maybe he'll find a new job waiting for him next year — on Fox TV.

Media: No question, Jay Leno is hot. He's opened up a huge double-digit lead on his main talk-show competitors, and has never been funnier or more relevant. So why is NBC so eager to get rid of him?

The likeable, lantern-jawed comic has long been known for avoiding edgy political material. But in recent months, Leno has turned considerably more political, making pointed jokes aimed at Democrats, liberals and President Obama.

A monologue last month was typical: "President Obama says he's renewing his efforts to close Guantanamo Bay. Guantanamo Bay? How about closing the IRS? How about that?"

Thunderous applause. Leno's never been better.

Indeed, virtually every night now, he has something sharp and funny to say about Obama and the big-government Democrats in Washington. They're not used to being the butt of jokes that sting — or that ridicule the left's absurd PC culture wars.

But that's just what Leno did last April when he riffed on his show: "The Associated Press, the largest news gathering outlet in the world, will no longer use the term 'illegal immigrant.' That is out. ... They will now use the phrase 'undocumented Democrat.' "

A two-fer, liberals and the media. Ouch.

"The irony — and it's a rich one — is that Leno has never been more dominant," Newsweek said recently. "The Nielsen ratings for the second week in July have him beating CBS's David Letterman by a 43% margin in the all-important 'viewers 18 to 49' category ... and swamping ABC's Jimmy Kimmel by a crushing 75%."

Irony? Leno has 3.3 million viewers, vs. 2.6 million for Letterman and 2 million for Kimmel. Leno, as Newsweek further notes, has led all competition for 17 seasons out of the 21 he's hosted "The Tonight Show."

Ordinarily, such powerful ratings would be rewarded with a lengthy, multimillion dollar contract and a public attaboy from the network. So why are they axing Leno and replacing him with Jimmy Fallon next February?

Could it be Hollywood's left-leaning power players want to clip his wings? Or is it that, unlike Leno, Fallon fawns over the liberal elite — as he did during an embarrassing on-set visit from Obama, who lost more than a little presidential dignity by joining in on unfunny skits.

Replacing a winner with the so-far unproven Fallon doesn't seem to be a brilliant business move. They tried it four years ago with Conan O'Brien. It flopped.

If the solidly centrist Leno is now too controversial for the lefty executives that run the networks, maybe he'll find a new job waiting for him next year — on Fox TV.

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